Which animal is the deadliest hunter in the world: it's an insect
Many people are probably convinced that the title of the deadliest predator can be given to a lion, a tiger, or, at worst, a leopard.
Indeed, these large cats are excellent hunters, but not all of their forays end in success.
For example, 6 out of 7 hunts by leopards in South Africa's Kruger National Park end in complete failure, while tigers return with prey even less often - they manage to kill their prey only 1 out of 20 times.
Even for a cheetah, which can reach speeds of up to 93 km/h, only every second hunt is successful.
Therefore, in terms of hunting efficiency, the most effective predators in the world are dragonflies.
Researchers from Harvard University found in 2012 that they are able to catch up to 95% of the prey they hunt.
This high figure is due to a number of adaptive features of dragonflies.
They have a complex eye structure that allows them to see their prey against the sky. Dragonflies' wings are driven by various muscle groups, the coordinated work of which allows the insect to develop high speed and maneuverability.
Neuroscientist Anthony Leonardo believes that dragonflies' success in hunting is also linked to the peculiarities of their brains. They use optimization algorithms to calculate the trajectory of their prey, making it easier to intercept the target.
Earlier we wrote about the deepest metro station in the world.
